The National Archives list a Private Charles Coughlin 2nd Battallion South Staffs Regiment Army No 7017. No service record but medical card can be downloaded for £3.50 . Don't know whether that would contain any useful info though. See http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D1961942Here's my granddad Charles Coughlin
Granddad Blackhall, Royal Horse Artillery
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Grandad resumed his banking career after the war and when he retired in 1949 was manager of Lloyds Bank in Sparkbrook. I remember that he said that during WW2 he was a 'firewatcher' in B'ham but I haven't any further details of this.
What a smashing thread Janice. Brilliant idea!
My uncle, Samuel Woolley, fought in WW1 and it affected him badly. I'm not sure off-hand which regiment he was in to start with but he was transferred to another where he wore a kilt and apparently when the material got wet and froze it cut their legs to ribbons.
First picture is Samuel by what looks like a train. He's in the back row on the right. Second picture is after he was transferred. Third is William, on the right, Sam's younger brother who ran away and joined the army. He was too young so they brought him back! He waited for his birthday and joined the navy and was a radio operator. Last picture is them both together, at the beginning of the war I imagine.
These blokes were so proud of their horses.
Across all the many books I've read about the Great War, the overriding sorrow that the soldiers had was for the dreadful things that happened to
the poor animals that were caught up in the slaughter.
I have a Samuel Woolley in my family tree also. X
When I was in the army, the RHA were allways considered a "cut above" the rest of the Gunners.Hi,
My Granddad was a shoeing smith in the Royal Horse Artillery.
Sadly I never met him, as he died at the age of 54 in 1938.
Kind regards
Dave